Banana Fiber and Big Dreams: Gloria Awomi Champions Eco-Friendly Innovation in Zunheboto


Gloria Phuleshe, a dynamic and dedicated entrepreneur, has been making significant strides in both her professional and personal life.

Hailing from Satami Village in the Zunheboto District, Gloria is a Computer Assistant under RD Zunheboto, while also serving as the Media Secretary of the Sumi Totimi Hoho (STH). Her entrepreneurial spirit extends beyond her office duties, as she is the proud owner of Meraki Event Planner and Makeup Artist, based in Zunheboto.

In addition, Gloria has cultivated a unique brand identity through Musa Mix, a venture that produces eco-friendly products like bags, baskets, lampshades, and home décor, all made from banana fiber. Her innovative work stands out as a testament to her creativity and commitment to sustainability.

Speaking exclusively to The Morung Express, Gloria shared her passion for blending creativity with practicality. “Doing something based on our own ideas and creativity is what I prefer,” she explained. “I try to keep busy as possible because doing nothing makes me feel I’m nothing.”


Gloria’s journey is a blend of ambition and determination. After completing her higher secondary education at Love Dale School in Zunheboto, she pursued higher studies at Tetso College in Dimapur English Honours. Upon graduation, she returned to her village and initially worked in agriculture, cultivating paddy fields and producing sticky rice (Asüphà ajiu) —an essential staple for the village. Her success in producing 115 tins of sticky rice became the seed capital for launching her event planning business.

“My top priorities are my office duties, my business, and other activities come after my office work,” she emphasized. “Even if my business schedule is full, if my office demands my attention, I will always cancel my business plans to fulfill my duties as a Computer Assistant. Helping my community is my first responsibility.”


One of Gloria’s most notable ventures, Musa Mix, came to life when she sought to make use of her free time while assisting a family member in Dimapur. While browsing online, she discovered Runway India’s training program on banana fiber products. After completing the week-long course, she began creating eco-friendly products that support her livelihood and contribute to the local economy.

However, her success has not come without challenges. The primary hurdle she faces is the lack of access to sufficient banana fiber, as she does not yet possess the machinery required to produce it at scale. This limitation has impacted her ability to meet increasing demand for her products.


“I always wake up early and start working with banana fiber while cooking. Afterward, I go to the office to resume my duties, and once I return home, I continue working on my banana fiber creations,” Gloria said, highlighting her relentless work ethic.

Her efforts align with broader environmental concerns, as she explained, “It’s eco-friendly, and with the state government banning single-use plastic, banana fiber products could serve as a great alternative that benefits both the environment and local businesses.”

Currently, Gloria runs her business with a small but dedicated team of three, including herself. Despite her busy schedule, she remains committed to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, incorporating daily exercise and jogging into her routine to ensure her physical and mental well-being.

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Man Who Built Adorable Mouse Village to Cope With Depression Adds a Pub, Book Shop, and Hobbit Homes–LOOK

By Simon Dell / SWNS

A British man who six years ago built an adorable mouse village to cope with depression has added a pub, a book shop, and Hobbit homes so he could capture even more heartwarming photos.

Simon Dell began creating the ‘mini shire’ when he spotted a wild mouse in his back garden and wanted to protect it from neighborhood cats.

Since then, the 50-year-old has attracted more mice to the luxury mouse town, constructed from recycled materials and repurposed trash.

Simon documents daily village activities across his social media channels (George the Mouse in a log pile house) with an impressive following of over 150,000.

“Without photography, and the fun of making little things for little things, I could soon sink back into deep depression,” said Simon.

“Photography gave me a reason to get up and out again and the mouse village gave me back my smile.

“I hope it gives others the same joy it gives me.”
The Log Pile Inn pub (with ‘No Cats’ sign out front) in Simon Dell’s mouse village – SWNS
A book shop in Simon Dell’s mouse village / SWNS

Back in 2018, Simon recalls sitting in his garden in South Yorkshire when he “could see cats sitting just feet away from this little mouse at the other side of a fence.”

He piled some small logs around a box as a home for the mouse and covered it with moss and straw to give him a little shelter, and wire fencing to keep the cats at bay.
SWNS

After erecting the shelter for the mouse, which he named George, he began adding more homes next door. Within days, a few mice pals had moved in, looking to get-in on the creature comforts.
Barrel outside the Log Pile Inn by Simon Dell / SWNS

The wildlife photographer began adding intricate detail to the tiny houses, fashioning dining tables and giving them props for hobbies like painting, boating, gardening, and photography.
By Simon Dell / SWNS
Simon Dell / SWNS
Simon Dell / SWNS

Today, Simon says there are around 20 mice, with possibly two family groups—and a lot has changed in the village.

“The only limit is my own imagination and skills at making the new buildings – as everything is made by hand from recycled bits of wood old logs or just about anything I can find in skips or the trash that could be given a new life.”

“They have two of my old boots converted into mouse homes and lots of other types of homes scattered around the village.

“In fact they have just about everything you would find in a village or even a town.”
The village in 2019 – SWNS

He has plans to add a train station, cafe and a theater or cinema.

Simon says the mouse village has given him—and many of his followers—immense joy amidst personal struggles.
The Village in 2019 – SWNS

“As I have always suffered with depression, insomnia, and anxiety, they are always there to support me in good or bad times—and many find my photos and videos help make them smile daily and lift their moods.

“That has always been my goal to make others smile along with keeping my mind and body active. Source: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/man-who-built-adorable-mouse-village-to-cope-with-depression-has-added-pub-and-book-shop/
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Artist Makes Spectacular Sand Art Portraits That Sell for Thousands After Quitting His Engineering Job–LOOK

James Sun’s sand art – SWNS
A man who quit his mechanical engineering job and is now earning thousands of dollars by creating stunning sand art portraits. James Sun was going through a difficult breakup in Toronto, Canada, when he began looking to make a new start that could reduce the stress. “I was heartbroken. I needed something to heal my heart, so I looked online, and when I saw sand art it really made me calm.” He searched online for people who made the type of art he envisioned, and spent $30,000 to travel to China and Japan to learn from the masters. The 36-year-old said he “just kept practicing”, and because he is a really big sports fan and passionate about pop culture, he started making celebrity portraits of sportsmen like Ronaldo and Messi, and TV characters like Wednesday Addams. “When I made the change everyone thought I was crazy,” he told SWNS news. “But, looking back, it was the best decision that I ever made.” James now has five employees and is also making sponsored sand art logos and character portraits forJames Sun’s sand art portrait of Wednesday Addams – SWNS
companies like BMW, F.C Barcelona, and Nickelodeon. After five years, his custom pieces now sell for $1,500, while his work for brand promotion costs upwards of $4,500. “I get the chance to work with all these great brands, and I make way more money than I used to.” It was 2018 when he started posting on TikTok. “That was when it really changed.” He amassed more than 3.4 million followers and now creates between 10 and 15 pieces a month, spending around 10 hours per day on his craft. He uses a small spoon to sprinkle colored sand into the container and a custom needle to pack it into the shape he needs. (See the process in the video below…) The pieces can take anywhere between a few hours, for the Argentina football star Lionel Messi sand art portrait by James Sun – SWNS
simpler logos, to three days for the more complex portraits. “I just do it one grain at a time,” Mr. Sun said. “I take breaks when I’m doing it, because I really need to focus, but I really enjoy it—it really relieves my stress so much.” “Mentally, it has healed me. It mended my broken heart.The doubters in his life have now turned into supporters—and James has become the master, fielding requests from others who want to learn how to do it.Artist Makes Spectacular Sand Art Portraits That Sell for Thousands After Quitting His Engineering Job–LOOK
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A California Superbloom Is Springing to Life and the Best is Yet to Come

California Superbloom from – Public Domain Bureau of Land Management via Wikipedia Commons

Drenching rains and record snowfall throughout California’s 2022-2023 winter season carried on throughout the year, and by September, normally the peak of the dry and fire seasons, no part of the state was considered to be suffering from drought conditions. Experienced Californians will have had a hunch that all that water meant this year’s spring may hold a surprise—a superbloom. This non-scientific term simply refers to spring wildflower blooms of inordinate proportions after wet winters. California has recently experienced some incredible blooming events that were seen from space. Last year’s was breathtaking; one of the most dramatic ever seen according to experts. This year promises to
California poppies from the 2023 Superbloom – Youtube
be something similar, but we won’t know for certain until April, when peak blooming tends to occur as flowers open in the higher-elevation deserts. “It’s definitely looking like it’s going to be a good season,” said Evan Meyer, a botanist and the Executive Director of the nonprofit Theodore Payne Foundation. “Last year was incredible, it was one of the best blooms in many years.” Wildflower blooms in California’s Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, about 50 miles south of Palm Springs, are already up in color according to CNN, as well as in Chino Hills State Park, outside of Anaheim, and Tule Elk State 
Death Valley Superbloom FB National Park Service
Natural Reserve, south of Santa Barbara. It depends on what the weather decides to do, but if a Goldilocks ratio of moisture and heat continues as it has so far, many more areas are liable to explode in color. Flower species include desert sand verbena, sage, dune evening primrose, and California poppies. The poppies in particular are very sensitive to changing temperatures, and in Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, it’s unclear whether this native flower will explode as it did last year because of a late showering of rain.Superblooms are on across desert states like Nevada and Arizona, and even Death Valley National Park can experience these giant blooms. A California Superbloom Is Springing to Life and the Best is Yet to Come
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Double laureate Marie Skłodowska-Curie & the hunt for elements

Marie Curie, details of linocut with glow-in-the-dark ink, by Ele Willoughby, 2014
The most well-known woman in the history of physics - or perhaps science - was born almost a century and a half ago today. The famous Polish-born, naturalized-French physicist and chemist Marie Skłodowska-Curie (7 November 1867 – 4 July 1934) was the first woman to win a Nobel prize, the only woman to ever win TWO Nobel prizes, and the only person ever to win in two different sciences: physics and chemistry! Source: http://magpieandwhiskeyjack.blogspot.in/
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The secrets of Siberia’s frozen snow brides revealed

Stunning winter brides. Picture: Vera Salnitskaya
By Anna Liesowska, What do you do if you have no option but to get married in the harsh and cold Russian winters? We find out… The secrets behind keeping Siberia’s brides happy - and warm - in the midst of our harsh winter have been revealed by one of the region’s top photographers. Novosibirsk-based Vera Salnitskaya knows exactly what it takes to help women realise their dream of becoming real-life snow queens for the day. From recommending footwear and hiding thermals under dresses, to covering up reddening cold noses and lacing tea with brandy, the 30-year-old has perfected the art of making her wedding parties forget that temperatures outside might well be -37C. She tells The Siberian Times: 'Why do couples choose to marry in winter here? Well, what choice do they have in a place where winter may last for nine months? 'The first couple I ever took pictures of were called Ekaterina and Sergey. It was December and it wasn’t very cold, only about -20C perhaps, but still when the bride was taking her coat off to pose with her naked arms and shoulders I was shaking my head and hurrying her to get dressed. 'I told her, 'You’ll get cold’'but she answered back, 'Never mind that – I want to look beautiful'. 'Oh that brides’ desire to be beautiful! The thing is, the coats that are offered in wedding dress shops are made from teddy bear skin. They are pure synthetics and, frankly, I think that it would be warmer without them than in them. The coats are usually short with the neck open to every wind. And no, you can’t put an ordinary coat above the ‘princess dress’, and it is often too expensive to buy a luxurious real fur coat'.
What do you do if you have no option but to get married in harsh Siberian winter? Picture: Vera Salnitskaya
Born in a village near Novosibirsk, Vera graduated from the electromechanical faculty at Novosibirsk Technical University before starting her working life as a designer. She is now one of the Siberian city’s top photographers, working with a number of local newspapers. With long winters, many brides have no option but to get married in snowy conditions and Vera often has to give out impromptu fashion, and weather, advice to her couples. She says: 'I am always asking my brides to be take something warm with them. It doesn’t matter what it us, just as long as they can have it when we are walking from the car to the area where they’ll pose for me. 'I also ask them to wrap something around their necks. I think the person that invented the typical style of wedding coats have only seen real snow in American Christmas movies. 'On their legs you can put warm thick tights or thermals under the dress. I am very strict with my brides in saying that they can choose anything they like – as long as their legs and feet are warm. So traditional Russian Valenki or Uggs or other warm boots. 'Typically the wedding dress is long and it is more important to keep their legs warm than to get sick after posing in high heel shoes in the middle of a snow drift. 
'Oh that brides’ desire to be beautiful...!' Picture: Vera Salnitskaya
'They do usually listen to me, but sometimes that desire to be beautiful wins over common sense. I remember a bride called Natasha whose wedding was in January, when it was -30C. I spoke to her a day before the wedding day about warm shoes, and as we left the house I asked her again if she had taken the boots. 'She said 'yes' but when we come to the park she jumps out of the car in her delicate shoes and thin white tights into the snow. I’m standing with my camera, in warm valenkis, thermals, three pair of trousers above the thermals, a thick coat, gloves and a very warm hat. 'The absurdity of it is that the dress is so long the pictures don’t even show what kind of footwear the bride has on'.
'I tell them to take good hats as their ears go bright red within seconds of being outside'. Pictures: Vera Salnitskaya
Vera says she is surprised by the fact so many people in Siberia forget how cold the weather might be on their big day. 'I think often winter weddings are planned in the house, without going out and feeling what it would be like to pose barely dressed', she says. 'Of course when discussing their ideal images all couples promise that they will be ready to run around in the snow, make snowmen, go ice skating, you name it'. 'But you are lucky if you can take them for longer than ten minutes out of the car. 'They get immediately cold and start shivering, and their noses, ears and hands get bright red. And then naturally there is no point in taking pictures'.
Siberian snow brides. Pictures: Vera Salnitskaya
Surprisingly Vera says the grooms do not fare any better than their brides. 'Unlike the brides they have to wear shoes', she explains. 'I remember one wedding, of Anastasia and Anatoly, on February 15th. She is happily jumping about in her comfortable Uggs, and he is turning into an icicle in his fashionable shoes. 'He says to me, 'She is lucky, she’s got her feet warm. But I am getting frozen here'. Vera says she now has to pass on tips to the grooms just as much as the brides before they get their photographs taken, down to even giving fashion and make-up advice. She says: 'I tell them to take good hats as their ears go bright red within seconds of being outside. Also the make-up shouldn’t only be about the brides, grooms too should put some tone on their noses and ears. 'We also take tea with brandy, or tea with ginger and lemon - it helps, but not for long'. The best way to protect yourself against the freezing temperature is a beautiful skiing costume…But a rare bride would go for that'. Source: Article
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Hungry Ghost festival – picture

An effigy of the Chinese deity Da Shi Ye is set alight during the Hungry Ghost festival in Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia. The Buddhist festival marks the opening of the 'gates of hell', when ghosts are said to return from the afterlife in search of food, rest and entertainment. Credits MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP/Getty Images. Source: The Week UK
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Tenerife celebrates the Virgen del Carmen


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Doves are released as a statue of the Virgen del Carmen, patron saint of fishermen, begins its journey along the cost of Tenerife. The procession is part of a summer festival attended by more than 35,000. Source: The Week UK
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Festival of colour and wishes in Japan


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People stroll underneath Tanabata ornaments during the Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival in Hiratsuka, Japan. The holiday is celebrated by decorating bamboo trees with coloured paper on which people write their wishes. Source: The Week UK
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Wembley awash with colour – picture

4 AUG 2014: Party-goers at the annual Holi One Festival dance in a plume of vibrant colour at London's Wembley Park. Inspired by the Hindu festival of Holi, thousands of revellers celebrate the 'colour of everyday life' by coating each other in brightly coloured paint. Source: The Week UK
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Incredible Book Carving Art by Guy Laramee

Incredible Book Carving Art by Guy Laramee -Guy Laramee of Canada creates incredible sculptures out of books. Often set spine to spine, Laramee has carved mountainous glacial landscapes, stepped plateaus, and deep valleys rife with greenery. His work does not only encompass topography, but ancient architecture as well. A Buddhist temple appears to be carved into a cliff side in his piece “Longmen.” A stack of volumes reveals a cave dwelling that is carved into from the book corners. Laramee even carved a detailed rendering of the Temple at Petra from yellowed pages, which looks like the real thing when photographed. In addition, the author deals with many other creative ways. Scripting and music directing in the theater, the design of musical instruments, singing, video, painting. For 30 year career he has received more than 30 major awards at various festivals.
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